Belt-buckle.



A. A; WEST.

BELT BUGKLE.

APPLICATION I'ILEDMAY 19,1910.

Patented Feb.7, 1911.

ED TATS PATEN OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS A. WEST, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTIO WILLIAM E. GATOHELL, OF RUTLEDGE, PENNSYLVANIA.

BELT-BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

Application filed May 19, 1910. Serial No. 582,267.

To all whom it may concern:

lle it known that I, AUGUSTUS A. VVnsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Belt-Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clasps adapted for use on belts, harness, shoes, etc.

It contemplates the construction of a clasp of this nature wherein the same will become very secure by the increased strain thereon, and which will readily and easily be released when so desired.

lv'ith the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawin gs, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clasp forming the subject-matter of the presentinvcntion; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section illustrating the clasp adapted for use in a belt buckle; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken centrally through Fig. 1; Fig. 4c is an elevation of the slidable member carried by one terminal of the belt; Fig. 5 is a similar view of the keeper secured to the shield of the belt buckle and to the opposite terminal of the belt; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a belt buckle embodying the present invention.

The present invention resides in the pro vision of a keeper carried by one terminal of a strap or belt provided in the base thereof with a series of alined openings. A slide or catch is carried by the opposite terminal of the strap or belt and is adapted to reciprocate in said keeper, said slide or catch being provided with a hooked lug adapted to engage any one of said openings.

Reference being had to the drawings more particularly, 10 indicates a U-shaped keeper carried by one terminal of the belt buckle having the upper edges of the sides thereof bent inwardly to form the retaining flanges 11. The base portion is provided with a series of alined openings 12 which are centrally located therein and which register with the space between the flanges 11. A slotted transverse bar 13 is formed at one terminal of the keeper and is bent upwardly to provide a clearance for the shield as hereinafter more fully described. At the opposite extremity of the keeper the base and the sides are flared as at 1t to provide for the ready entrance of the slide or catch into the keeper. The slide or catch comprises a plate 15 having the right angularly bent portion 16 at one extremity thereof which is provided with the recesses 17 which bear against the under surface of the flanges 11 and form a lug 18 which projects through the space between said flanges. The opposite terminal 20 of the plate 15 is reduced and is bent upwardly at an angle through the space between the flanges 11 and carries the transverse slotted bar 18 to which the free terminal of the belt or strap is secured. A pin 19 is carried on the inner surface of the plate 15 adjacent to the reduced portion 20 and is provided with a recess in one side thereof which is adapted to engage the edge of the holes 12 formed in the base of the keeper 10.

From this construction it will readily be seenthat upon inserting the slide or catch into the keeper 10 the transverse bar 18 thereof is recessed causing said slide to travel upon the bend between the guiding portion 16 and the plate 15 until the pin 19 is opposite to the hole 12 into which it is to be projected. The transverse bar 18 is then lowered allowing the pin to project into the opening 12 and the recess in said pin engage the edge of said opening, the plate 15 resting flush with the base of the keeper. hen it is desired to remove the catch or slide from its engagement with the keeper the same is moved toward the transverse bar 13 of the keeper and the bar 18 of the catch is raised about the bend between the guiding portion 16 and the plate 15 as a fulcrum, thus releasing the pin from its engagement with the openings 12 and permitting the slide to be entirely removed from the keeper.

A buckle shield 21 may be secured to the keeper 10 when it is desired to use the present invention on a belt, one terminal of the belt 22 being secured to the transverse bar 18 while the opposite terminal thereof is secured to the transverse bar 13. The present invention may be substituted for a buckle in the various uses of the latter forming a more secure and substantial structure than a buckle.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a keeper comprising a U- shaped member having the upper edges of its sides bent inwardly to form guiding flanges, and a plurality of alined openings in the base thereof, of a catch adapted to reciprocate in said keeper, comprising a plate having one terminal bent upwardly and provided with a reduced portion adapted to operate between said guiding flanges, and a similar reduced portion bent outwardly at an angle carrying a strap engaging keeper likewise adapted to reciprocate between said flanges, and a pin carried by said plate adjacent to said last mentioned bending portion adapted to engage the alined openings in the base of said keeper.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a U-shaped keeper having centrally alined openings in the base thereof and one terminal thereof flared, of inwardly extending guiding flanges formed on the arms of said keeper, and a strap engaging member carried by the terminal of the keeper opposite to the flared portion, and a catch adapted to cooperate with said keeper comprising a plate having one extremity thereof bent approximately at right angles and provided with a reduced portion adapted to operate between said guiding flanges, a similar angularly bent reduced portion projecting between said guiding flanges at the opposite end of said plate, a strap engaging member carried by said last named angularly bent reduced portion and a pin secured to said plate adjacent to the joint between the reduced portion carrying the strap engaging member and the plate aforesaid.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS A. VEST. Witnesses F. A. CHIoKERrNe,

ANNIE FEINMAN. 

